Junior Varsity changes direction

Native sons are out with second release from Victory Records

Untitled Document
For the Junior Varsity, home usually means the
highway, but to write their new album,
Cinematographic, the rock band hit the brakes.
Earlier this year, the hard-touring quintet hunkered
down in a Springfield house to craft their second release for Victory
Records, an album the band chose to steer in a new direction.“The record just came out. I really
haven’t heard any words of negativity, except one bad review on a Web
site, but all the fans, longtime fans, seem to really love it,” Nick
Dodson, keyboard player, says during a brief stop home from touring.Released on June 19, the album marks a smooth
transition to a more mature sound with a focus on vocals. The band members
each had a hand in the writing process, and living together for the
duration seemed the best fit. “If the group has an idea at 2 or 3 in the
morning, we can go to the basement and hash it out,” Dodson says.The Junior Varsity, comprising Dodson, Andy Wildrick,
Chris Birch, Sergio Coronado, and Asa Dawson, takes the stage for a
CD-release show at the Capital City Bar & Grill before setting off on
the road July 22 with Trustkill Records band Hopesfall. The group just
ended a tour with indie band Thunderbirds Are Now! two weeks ago, but their
downtime includes one festival and a few regional shows. The band’s “tour, tour, tour” ethic
is a large part of its success, but, Dodson says, “I really feel that
the music industry is 85 percent luck.” From small shows in the suburbs to an opening slot at
famous Chicago club, the Metro, Dodson says that since the band’s
inception, in 2002, opportunities have presented themselves. With just one
release, from British Records, under their belts, the Junior Varsity caught
the eye of Chicago’s Victory Records, a successful independent label
boasting a roster of 50 bands and such successful alums as Bad Brains and
the Smoking Popes.“It was pretty crazy, and we worked pretty hard
at it,” Dodson says. The Junior Varsity plays a CD-release show for Cinematographic at 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 14, at the Capital City Bar & Grill (3149 S. Dirksen,
217-529-8580). The Graduate and Fayette open. Tickets cost $8. Cinematographic may be found
anywhere CDs are sold. Contact Marissa Monson at mmonson@illinoistimes.com.